SKU: BT.ALHE29030

French.

Poulenc' s five songs, Poems of Ronsard were composed in 1925 during the post-war euphoria. The cycle is essential to aspiring, advanced vocalists of the French art song. Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) was a highly prolific composer,and remains popular to this day. Poems of Ronsard was composed towards the beginning of the composer's career, based on poems by prolific French poet, Pierre de Ronsard. Poems of Ronsard is made up of five songs which alternatebetween lively and slow tempos - 1) Attributes, 2) The Tomb, 3) Ballet, 4) I only have the Bones, and 5) On his page. As a song cycle with much variation, Poulenc's Poems of Ronsard is an exciting addition to the Vocal repertoire.

SKU: HL.49045824

Max Kowalski (18821956) was a full-time lawyer who never gave up on his passion for music: singing lessons during his law studies, conducting and counterpoint classes, among others, at Dr. Hochs Konservatorium in addition to his work at his own law office in Frankfurt. While studying, he already published his first works; 15 song cycles were published until 1933. In the years that followed, the Jewish-born Kowalski was restricted in working both as a lawyer and as a composer due to his persecution by the National Socialists. In 1938 he was arrested, deported to the concentration camp of Buchenwald and finally forcedto flee into exile in London. Contemporaries called Kowalski a lyricist among the composers. The choice of texts of his songs shows his great knowledge and love of German literature. For example, he set to music texts by Friedrich Holderlin or Rainer Maria Rilke, but also Indian or Japanese poems. Kowalski left numerous unpublished songs which are published by Schott Music in a two-volume edition: Volume 1 (ED 22586) contains his Jewish songs (1935-37), the Heinrich Heine cycle (1937) and all English-language songs (1941-46). Volume 2 (ED 22587) contains Kowalski's late works: the songs based on texts by Friedrich Holderlin (1950) and the Geisha Lieder according to Klabund (1951).